Student Learning Outcomes

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Student Learning Outcomes
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• Learning Outcomes?
• Why Worry . . .

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From the Statement Of Mutual Responsibilities for
Student Learning Outcomes Accreditation,
Institutions, and Programs Approved by the
Council for Higher Education Accreditation Board
of Directors September 2003
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1. Accrediting organizations are responsible for
establishing clear expectations that institutions
and programs will routinely define, collect,
interpret, and use evidence of student learning
outcomes. 2. Institutions and programs are
responsible for establishing clear statements of
student learning outcomes and for collecting,
interpreting, and using evidence of student
achievement. 3. Institutions and programs share
responsibility with accrediting organizations for
providing clear and credible information to
constituents about what students learn.
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Middle States Accreditation Standard 11
Educational Offerings The institutions
educational offerings display academic content,
rigor, and coherence appropriate to its higher
education mission. The institution identifies
student learning goals and objectives, including
knowledge and skills, for its educational
offerings.
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What are learning outcomes? Learning outcomes
are statements that specify what learners will
know or be able to do as a result of a learning
activity. Outcomes are usually expressed as
knowledge, skills, or attitudes.
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What are some key questions that I should ask
myself before writing learning outcomes? Do the
students need to understand better the context in
which the problem/issue exists? Are there
things they need to unlearn? What are the most
essential things they need to know or be able to
do? What specific skills or strategies do they
need? What are the most important things they
need to be able to do when they finish?  
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What are the characteristics of good learning
outcomes? The specified action by the learners
must be observable judgable or
measurable done by the learners The ultimate
test when writing a learning outcome is whether
or not the action taken by the participants can
be assessed
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How do you fix an unclear outcome? Many syllabi
include learning outcomes which are unclear or
represent elements of curriculum rather than some
action the participants will demonstrate. Note
the following examples Students will understand
the nine reasons for conducting a needs
assessment. Students will develop an
appreciation of cultural diversity in the
workplace.
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If you ask a simple question ("Can it be
measured?"), you see readily that these learning
outcomes have shortcomings. They are not
measurable. The same outcomes can be modified
by changing the action verbs. Students will list
nine reasons for conducting a needs
assessment. Students will summarize in writing
their feelings about cultural diversity in the
workplace.
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The importance of action verbs Since the
learner's performance should be observable and
measurable, the verb chosen for each outcome
statement should be an action verb which results
in overt behavior that can be observed and
measured. Sample action verbs are compile,
create, plan, revise, analyze, design, select,
utilize, apply, demonstrate, prepare, use,
compute, discuss, explain, predict, assess,
compare, rate, critique
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Certain verbs are unclear and subject to
different interpretations in terms of what action
they are specifying. Such verbs call for covert
behavior which cannot be observed or measured.
These types of verbs should be avoided know,
become aware of, appreciate, learn, understand,
become familiar with
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Which of these are good learning outcomes? To
learn to write To write expressive, personal
prose To study the works of great writers To
read complex texts To recognize literary irony
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To write succinct abstracts of professional
articles in the field To integrate this material
with previous learning in other courses and
through other activities To understand the
scientific method To design experiments to test
certain hypotheses To follow lab book
instructions accurately
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One way to write a learning outcome is to
ask At the end of this course, successful
students will be able to
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Individual course learning outcomes should be
related to departmental learning outcomes,
which, in turn, should be related toachieving
the colleges mission and strategic plan.
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Useful additional resources

• http//www.chea.org/pdf/StmntStudentLearningOutcom
  es9-03.pdf
• http//www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/education/curricula/gisc
  c/units/format/outcomes.html
• pandora.cii.wwu.edu/cii/resources/outcomes/default
  .asp